Sexuality flows like a river. It’s powerful, it’s undeniable, and it lifts us up and carries us where we need to go. When we fight against the all-consuming current of our natural desire, it wears us down and drowns our soul. But when we conquer the rapids and come out the other side, the rush is transcendent.
Let’s dive deeper with David Archuleta.
He maneuvers the turbulent waters of fame, religion, and sensuality so spectacularly swimmingly. After establishing himself as the boy-next-door on American Idol, Archuleta publicly identified as queer and watched his church support float away. But his resilience is robust, his talent is as mighty as the Mississippi, and his voice surges with sensuality.
“It’s not like a full on sex EP,” Archuleta coos humbly. “but I feel like I was just being present in my body.”
Indeed, his sinewy frame hypnotizes viewers in various videos from the deluxe edition of Earthly Delights. Archuleta soars like an angel, grooves like a god, and seduces the audience every time he gazes into the lens. “I made room for myself to grow with this EP and allowed myself to navigate the flirty nature of just living. Living life and feeling confident.”
Downshifting into aw-shucks mode, Archuleta admits, “I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t know I was capable of these emotions. I didn’t know it was in me, so I was proud to discover it and play in that place with Earthly Delights.”
Authenticity is the ultimate aphrodisiac, and Archuleta flexes his truth like a peacock broadcasting its brilliance. By raising his voice, he silences the villains… but finding that voice was no simple task. “I have always wanted to sing in Spanish, from the very first album I released when I was 17. I recorded my song Crush in Spanish and I was like I would love to release this, but for whatever reason my record label didn’t want to and they shelved it.” Putting a personal punctuation to his point, Archuleta continues, “They didn’t wanna spend their time or money investing in my Latin side.”
Fast forward to the queer-and-now. “I’m just in a place where, you know what? Why not do it? Let’s explore a little bit. I’m Hispanic. Half of my day, I’m around Hispanic people, so it’s a part of me. I’m like, let’s do Spanglish. That’s how I live my life anyways; I live a very Spanglish life day to day. It’s about being yourself. That needs to come out.”

David Archuleta (Photo by Joseph Adivari)
So Archuleta teamed up with Colombian sensation Esteman to create a bilingual version of his barnburner Crème Brûlée. The lyrics swirl effortlessly between languages, orientations, and delectable metaphors, equating the titular dessert with a heaping helping of eroticism. Oh no, there goes all of your clothes. Oh yes, you will go loco for Crème Brûlée.
Gyrating on down the playlist, we discuss another pop confection from the EP: Dulce Amor. Part love ballad, part overwhelming obsession, and all Archuleta, this velvety concoction massages your eardrums before working its way into your brain, heart, and beyond.
Archuleta gushes about his inspiration for the swooning single. “Blue is, I feel, one of the greatest albums ever made. It’s so expressive, it’s just so well done and, funnily enough, in the studio, there was a painting of Joni Mitchell. I was like, ‘That Blue album was life-changing’ and I was like, ‘Can we just say that? Can we just mention her?’ I feel like she’s worth mentioning.”
So, Archuleta worked with his creative team to rework the lyrics accordingly.
“We reference some of her most iconic songs ever from that album. They talk about yearning and longing for something, cause it’s like ‘I could drink a case of you’ or like ‘I wish I had a river I could skate away on.’ It was just longing. That was symbolism with that line choice, just to say you want this person, you’re craving them, they’re so sweet. They’re Dulce Amor, it’s a sweet love that you’re craving and you want more of.”
And then something magical happens: David Archuleta breaks into song and bursts our interviewer into joy.
“You’re my favorite place, El Pescador. End of day, been two weeks, and nothing tastes the same. You’re my favorite record, Joni Mitchell Blue. Wish I had a river, had a case of you.”
When I gay-gasp at the fact that a gold record selling, umpteen award-winning artist just crooned spontaneously, Archuleta responds in kind. “I didn’t even realize I sang. Did I sing?”
Um, heck yeah you sang.
“Oh my gosh!” exclaims Archuleta. “My friends always tell me that. They’re like, ‘oh I love it when he just randomly started singing.’ I’m like I don’t even realize I’m doing it. Holy cow.”
Bucket list item: accomplished.
And he’s gonna sing to you too – LGBT+ Days are coming to Cathedral City, California from March 6th to March 8th and Archuleta is the capital-P Proud headliner. “I look at Pride as celebratory, so for me it’s really fun to have a celebratory take on a show, ‘cause I’m known for singing a lot of ballads and being a vocalist, which is what I do, but it’s also fun to just have dancing. I love to dance, I love to go out, I’m Hispanic so it just feels so good and therapeutic to be somewhere where you can just let your hair down and just let loose and not worry about what other people think and just dance.”
For fans who yearn to hear the chart-toppers that made David Archuleta famous, you’re in luck. He’s not dancing away from his roots but rather cultivating them into a groovy garden that flourishes into a towering queer monument to his range. “I just hope people come ready to have a good time and celebrate and party and I might throw a more emotional song in there, so they’ll have that too, along with the fun stuff. Some dancing. Some choreography.”
Variety and inclusiveness pulse through every sentiment Archuleta utters. Even as he paints a picture of a disco utopia, he stops to consider the introverts out there who may not instinctively crave the rave scene. “If you don’t like to socialize, at least you could be there and just know like ‘hey all these people are celebrating who I am’ and that’s really beautiful.”
But not everyone sees the splendor in a sea of gay revelers living, laughing, and loving at full volume. Bigots lurk in the shadows of cyberspace, suburbia, and the halls of our government to legislate hate whenever they can. Archuleta has confronted powerful prejudice in his very public split with the LDS Church, emerging stronger and gayer than ever before.

David Archuleta (Photo by Ryan Welch)
“There is really strength in numbers,” he declares. Though many of us consume music through the intimacy of earbuds or the isolation of our safe spaces, Archuleta argues that the listening experience bonds us in ways we can’t imagine. “It’s more than just you in your room or in your car or in a neighborhood where there may not be as much understanding or representation.”
And now it’s time to strut our solidarity at Cathedral City LGBT+ Days, an outpouring of acceptance, amazement, and quirky camaraderie.
“For us to be able to gather somewhere and say, ‘Look how many of us there are!’ – you just feel strong, you feel supported when you have community. I feel like that is essential to our society to have a sense of community where you feel empowered. If you feel safer, you feel stronger and you feel more motivated and it’s just nice to know you’re not alone.”
Understatement alert! Loneliness has no place at this plucky Pride festival, which includes a rousing roster of events like drag contests, a drone show, and the infamous bed races. That’s right, watch celebrities and silliness tear down the street via ornate mattresses mounted on wheels.
Because… YAAS.
But nothing can steal the spotlight from the Cathedral City LGBT+ Days headliner, who urges guests, “Enjoy the music and move and have fun with people who are like-minded.” It took Archuleta almost two decades to find his tribe, and we’re a mirthful mix of every ethnicity and gender identity imaginable. His fans hail from all over the world, but they’re delighted to descend on Coachella Valley March 7th for all things Archuleta.

David Archuleta (Photo by Ryan Welch)
“You’re there to celebrate being you, being queer, being part of the LGBTQ plus community and how much we’ve had to overcome and how much we’ve had to make space for ourselves to have this, to have support systems and to be able to celebrate.”
Support is a consistent theme in our conversation. During his early escalation to stardom, Archuleta shined a spotlight on his spirituality, only to be rejected by the very faith leaders he admired. It impacted him profoundly, but he galvanized the betrayal into advocacy. Archuleta breaks the chain of abandonment, choosing instead to appreciate those who stuck with him through the tough times.
“I’m grateful for the people who support me, who just have been curious about my journey.” Archuleta announces, “People don’t have to care, they don’t have to listen to you. There’s plenty of other things going on in the world, keeping us distracted and demanding our time and our attention, keeping us busy.”
But Archuleta rises above the noise to create a next-level connection with his audience. “For people to take time to listen to my story or come to my show, I’m so grateful.”
Fame yields familiarity. David Archuleta grew up in the glare of public opinion, enduring the prying eyes of tastemakers and trolls alike. Millions have commented, quipped, or even condemned the actions of a talented young man simply trying to live his life and share his gift of music.
And yet, it’s all just water under the bridges he builds, song by sultry song.
“Whether it’s because they feel like they know me, since I was a teenager on American Idol, and are supportive of me in my journey, or they’re just simply curious and wanted to tune in for a little bit and take the time to listen, I appreciate every moment and I appreciate the supporters. The supporters and the people who are fans give you a platform to be heard and to tell your story and to be listened to. To share your art with an audience, I’m always grateful for that. It’s not something I take lightly.”
In fact, Archuleta delves into the darker aspects of his life story in the upcoming memoir Devout: Losing My Faith to Find Myself. We were fortunate enough to discuss the book in greater detail for our Cathedral City LGBT+ Days edition of Guide to Pride, available February 20th, so stay tuned for that.
In the meantime, let’s savor the sweet anticipation of David Archuleta’s upcoming concert, the liberating legacy of his coming out experience, and last but certainly not least: the decadent allure of his scintillating catalog.
“Allow yourself to feel romance and love,” he concludes, “to feel playfulness and flirtiness.”
Intimacy is the best of our humanity. We can’t truly vibe with anyone else unless we have confidence in ourselves first. Archuleta has demonstrated how he had to shatter the constraints of ignorance and religious oppression to ultimately embrace his inner Romeo.
So, follow his example and follow your heart. Amor awaits – accept it.
For the full rundown of this year’s event MARCH 6-8, 2026, check out CathedralCityLGBTDays.com
Last modified: February 13, 2026










